Thursday, August 11, 2011

All About Tom



The Sun UK
Bradford tell Manchester United: You owe us for Tom Cleverley
By SHAUN CUSTIS



TOM CLEVERLEY is at the centre of a David and Goliath battle between League Two side Bradford and Manchester United. United ace Cleverley, 21, was called up by England earlier this week.

And Bradford, the club which nurtured him as a kid, demands United pay 10 per cent of all loan fees they received for Cleverley while he was learning his trade at Leicester, Watford and Wigan.

To a club Bradford's size, which has twice been in administration, the sum they are due from United is potentially enormous, possibly six figures.

The deal, which took midfielder Cleverley to United from Bradford as a 12-year-old schoolboy, stated the Yorkshire club would be paid 10 per cent whenever his registration was transferred.

It did not stipulate it had to be a permanent transfer. Bradford argue they are entitled to payments for all three loans.

United are believed to have offered £50,000 to settle the argument.

The Bantams have been unable to find out what fees United received for Cleverley's loan deals - but believe there was a down-payment of around £300,000 made by Wigan when he moved to the DW Stadium last season.

Under FA rules, fees due to other clubs are supposed to be paid within 21 days of a transfer agreement being struck otherwise the club concerned is fined at a rate of one per cent per day for up to three years.

The club due the money is also entitled to eight per cent interest above base rate per annum.

Bradford joint-chairman Mark Lawn admitted: "We're currently in discussions with United.

"They are a professional and sensible club so I don't see a problem.

"We're saying that this is the contract and we believe we're owed money so we're waiting for them to get back to us."

United refused to comment to SunSport about Bradford's claim.



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